Automotive equipment



Feb. 6, 1940. w. B. PAINE Er Al. 2,189,221

AUTOMOTIVE EQUIPMENT Filed Feb. 21, 1938 s sheets-sheet 1 @Ou ATTORNEY.

Feb. 6, 1940; W B PAlNE El-IAL 2,189,2214

AUTOMOTIVE EQUIPMENT Filed Feb. 2l, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTOI'QNEYO)6 Feb. 6, 1940. w. B. PAINE Er AL AUTOMCTIVE EQUIPMENT Filed Feb. 21, 1938 .'5 Sheets-Sheet 3 m@ www Wn IMM A fm Z Patented Feb. v6, 1940 l AUTOMOTIVE EQUIPMENT Willard B. Paine and Alexander A. Agueeff, South Bend, Ind., assignors to Bendix-Products Corporation, South Bend, End., a corporation oi' Indiana y Application February 21, 1938, Serial No. 191,651

o on. (ci. sos-a1) This invention relates to interlocking systems and more particularly to systems for interlocking the door opening mechanism and the brake applying mechanism of a vehiclein order to prevent movement of the vehicle while the door is open. Such a system is particularly applicable to motor buses and similar vehicles in which passengers are let ,out and admitted at frequent Y intervals.

The present invention is an improvement over the systems disclosed in the copending application, Serial Number 83,734, iiled June 5, 1936, by Willard B. Paine, one of the applicants herein.

u One of the objects of the invention is to make it? such vehicles more safe by preventing the open# ing of the doors except when the brakes are fully applied. f

A further object of the invention is the pro vision of an interlock device'so arranged that i when the door is opened, the actuation of the door operating means also actuates means for applying the brakes.

A further object of the invention is the provision, in combination with the above features, of a stop for preventing the operation of the throttle control when the door is opened.

A feature of the invention is the arrangement of valves and conduits so that, while`the power braldng system is effective and the brakes may be applied at all times as though there were no interconnected door operating device, operation of the door opening device also automatically applies the brakes.

Further objects and features of the invention iii will be apparent after a reading of the subjoined specification and claims and after a consideration ofthe accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a brake and door-opening system arranged according to e@ our invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on an i enlarged scale of the valve used for controlling the door opening and the simultaneous brake operation; y ab Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view on an enlarged scale of the valve used for controlling the normal operation of the-brakes;

'Figure 4 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale of the relay valve used in our novel System; to and I Figure 5 is a diagrammatic `view of a modiiled system in which there are two doors having individual means for opening them, both of which means are separately interlocked with the brakes. -Referrlng in detail to the drawings, in which the same'numerals have been used to indicate corresponding parts in the several views, there is shown in Figure 1 an automobile bus l provided wlth brakes I2 and a door M. Avbrake pedal I6 is provided for the normal operation of 5 the brakes l2 and is pivotally mounted as at i3 on the chassis of the bus. v

A brake rod comprising two parts and 22 is pivotally connected to the pedal .at 2t and extends toward the rear of the bus. -The two porlo tions of the brake rod are connected together by, and serve to support and operate, a brake 'control valve 26 which is shown in detail in Fig ure 3 and which will be described more fully below. The rearward part 22 of the brake rod is l5 pivotally connected at 28 to one end of a power lever 3B.

The lever 3U is pivotally supported intermediate its endson a pivot 32 secured to the bus chassis, and the other end of the lever is pivotally con- 20 nected at '3ft to the piston rod 36 and piston 36 of a power cylinder 40. The power cylinder is swingably supportedL at the -end opposite the piston rod 3E by a pivot B2 secured to the bus chassis.

The pivot 28 on the power lever 3U also receives the forward end of another brake rod .M which extends rearwardly and is connected to a crossshaft it to rotateit and apply the brakesA l2 through links 8. 30

'I'he brake control valve 26 may take many well-known forms of which one is illustrated in Figure 3 comprising two body shell members 50 and 5I secured together to form three chambers, a vacuum chamber 52, an air chamber 54, and a 35 controlled pressure chamber 5S, the first two of which at times communicate with the third through the opening of a vacuum valve 58 and an air valve 60 respectively.

The two valves comprise resilient discs mounted on a plunger t2 slidable in longitudinal bores in the body shells, the two discs beingmounted in'opposed relation and having -a compression spring @t between them urging them onto their respective seats.

'll'he plunger 62 is provided with a pair of abut n ientsv 64 and 66 each adapted to engage and lift one of the valves 58 and 6u from its seat when the plunger is moved in an appropriate direction, said abutments, however, being spaced sufficiently far apartv to permit both valves to be seated in s one of the positions of the plunger.

`The plunger is normally'held to the right in engagement with a stop 68 and with the vacuum valve lifted, as seen inFigure 3,l by aV spring 'lo compressed between the body sheu- 5| and a pair centrally of the length ofthe lbore 96, andthe' of lock nuts 12 threaded on the? plunger. The lock nuts 12also serve, by engaging a portion oiA 'the body shell 5|, to adjustably limit the leftward movement of theplunger.

Communication vwith the variouschambers 52,

. 54. and 56 is respectively provided by means of a vacuum'port 14, an air port 16 communicating with an air cleaner 18 and a controlled pressure port 80.

As shownl in Figure 1 the brake control valve 26 has its plunger 52 connected to the forward brake rodportion 20, and its body 50-5I secured to the rearward -brake rod portion 22. Figure 3 shows the normal brake released position of the brake control valve 26 wherein the vacuum valve 58 is open, admitting' vacuum from the port 14 'and' chamber 52 to the controlled pressure chamber 56. When the pedal I6 is depressed to apply the brakes, the tensionv between the brake rod portions 20 and 22 .causes the plunger 62A to move to the left (Figure'3) compressing thespring 10, first seating the vacuum valve 58, and then lifting the air valve 60 to admit air to the controlled pressure chamber 56.

A doubleV acting l'power device comprising a cylinder 82 pivoted to the bus body at 84 and containing a piston 86 adapted to actuate a piston rod 88, is provided for openingv and closing thedoor I4. The piston rod 88 is connected to suitable linkage 90 to open the door I4 when the piston is in the position shown and to close the door when the @piston has been moved to its other extreme position at the left-hand end of the cylinder as seen in Figure l.

The operation of the power device 82--90 is controlled by a door control valve 92 shown in detail in Figure 2. This valve comprises a1 body casting 94 having a longitudinal bore 96 intersected by three transverse ports, one of which is a vacuum port 99 positioned approximately others of which are control ports |00 and |02 positioned substantially equidistantly on each side of the -vacuum port 98.

Blidable in thezbore 96 is a spool valve member |04'having a. reduced diameter portion |06 wide enough to embrace the vacuum port 98 and the control port |00 when in the extreme inward position as shown in Figure 2 in full linesand Y the vacuum port 98 andthe other control port |02 when inthe extremev outward position asindicated in dotted lines in Figure 2. At the same time, the enlarged diameter end portions of the valve member |04 are short enough to open the respective other control port to communication with the bore 96 in the various extreme positions.

The valve member is provided with a longitudinal passage |08 and the bore 96 communicates with the atmosphere through ports ||0 and an-air cleaner ||2 whereby air is always admitted to the control port which isnot con`.

nected to the vacumn port 98.

The valve 92 is controlled by .a rod ||4 connectedto the plunger |04 at its inner end and extending out of one end of the body casting 94 to receive on its outer end a handle ||6.

The automobile bus |0 is provided with the usual internal combustion engine ||8 adapted to be controlled by an accelerator pedal or throttle control pedal |29.' As a minor feature of our invention .we providean accelerator stop comprising aebellcrank lever |22 plvoted'to the usual footboard |24 of the bus and Larrang'ed so that. in the position shown in Figure l, one of its arms der. 38.

' byand deilning one is in a position to prevent depression of the accelerator pedal |20 and consequently tof prevent the generation of large amounts of power by the engine H8. Y The position of this arm of the bellcrankV lever |22 is controlled by a diaphragm power cylinder' |25 having a connecting rod |26 pivotally connected to the other arm of the bellcrank lever at |28. The power cylinder |25 is constructed and arranged to move the bellcrank so as to prevent acceleration of the engine by the foot accelerator when vacuum is applied thereto.

The internal combustion engine ||8 has the usual intake manifold which we prefer to. use as a 'source of differential air pressure for operation of the various power controls described above. A conduit |32 extends therefrom and is connected through several branches to the vacuum ports 14 and 98 `of the brake control valve 26 and the door control valve 92 respectively to the rearward end of the brake power cylinder 38 and to a reserve tank |34.

'I'he conduit |32 has la check valve |36 connected therento adjacent the manifold |30 which prevents flow of air from the manifold and, in conjunction with the reserve tank,-pro vides power for operation of the power controls when the engine is stopped.

The controlled pressure port 80 of the brake control valve 26 is connected by a conduit |38 to the vacuumport |40 (Figure 4) of a relay valve |42 shown in detail in Figure 4 and which will be described below. A conduit |44 extends from a controlled pressure port |46 of the relay |42 to the forward end-of the' brake power cylin- The control port |00 of the door control valve 92 is connected by a branching conduit |48 to the rearwardA end of the door power cylinder 82 and also to the accelerator stop power cylinder |25. The control port |02 is connected by a branching conduit |50 to the forward end of the door power cylinder82 and to a controlling pressure port |52 of the relay |42. I

Referring to Figure 4, he relay |42, although it may take 'many different well-known forms, maycomprise a valve body|54 and a cover |56 having clamped between them a diaphragm |58. The body |54 and the diaphragm |58' form a controlled pressure chamber having in=its end the controlled pressure port |46 and on opposite sides the vacuum port |40 and an air port |62. The cover |56 and the diaphragm 58 form between them a controlling pressure chamber |64 with which the controlling pressure port |52 communicates.

The vacuum port |40 and the air port |62 are respectively closed by vacuum and air valves |66 and |68, which have stems |10 and |12 slidably mounted in opposed parallel relation in integral projecting supports |14 formed on the valve body |54.

Each of the valve stems |10 and |12 is notched to pivotally and slidably receive pins |16 carried arm of a floating bellcrank lever |18, the other arm of which is pivotally and slidably connected by a pivot pin |99 and slot |82 to a yoke plunger |94 secured to the center of the diaphragm |58. A light 'coil-spring |86 biases the air valve |68 toward closed position and a light coiled spring |88 biases the diaphragm to a normal position toward the left in which the air valve v|98 is closed and thevacuum'valve |66 is open.

The air port mm'iicates with a chamber |62 of the relay valve |42 com.-

Islformed by another u cover member |92, which chamber communicates with an air cleaner |94 (Figure l) The figure, as already mentioned, show the y various ports inthe positions which they occupy when the door |4 of the bus I0 is open. It will be seen that' vacuum passes from the conduit |32, through the valve 92, to the control port |00 to conduit |48 which in turn conducts it to the r'rearward end of the door power cylinder and forward end of the' door power cylinder 82, in

which, having vacuum at the rear and air at the front. of the piston, the piston 86 moves toward the rear to occupy the position shown and cpen the door I4.

Air also passes through another branch of the conduit |50 to the controlling pressure chamber of the relay valve |42, causing the ports vof said valve to move to the position shown, and thereby admitting air through the air port |62 to the forward end of brake power cylinder. Since the brake power cylinder has vacuum at its rearward end, the piston is moved toward the rear, rotating the power lever 30 in a counterclockwise direction to draw upon the-brake rod 44, rotatethe cross-shaft 46 and apply the brakes- It Will be noted that' at the same time, the brake rod 20--22 and the brake control valve 26 are pushed forwardly depressing the pedal I6.` Compression in the rod 20-22, however, merely urges the parts of the valve 26 more strongly toward normal position and has "no other effect.V

The depression of the brake pedal has no desirable eiect other than to indicate that the brakes are applied as they should be, and consequently this might be avoided by a suitable lost motion connection at some point along the rod 20-22.

'Ihus with `the brakes applied and movement of the accelerator. |20 prevented, it is impossible for the bus driver to move the vehicle. Assuming now that it is desired to close the door, the handle ||6 of the door.control valve 92 is pulled outwardly or toward the rear to the position indicated in dotted lines. In this position vacuum is transmitted through the control port |02 to the conduit |y and therethrough to the forward end of the dooroperating power cylinder 82, while, at the saine time, air is admitted to the conduit |48 from the control port |00 of the valve `92 and through said conduit to the rearward end of the door operating power cylinder 82. The differential pressures acting. on opposite sides of the piston 86 moves the piston toward its forward extremeA position, and the motion of the piston transmitted through the linkv age 00 closes the door |4.A

The vacuum in the other branch of the conduit |50 acts on the diaphragm |58' of the relay valve |42 to shift itltoward the left (as seen in Figure 4) and thereby close the air valve |68 and open -the vacuum valve |66. Since the brake control valve 26 is in its released position, vacuum exists in the conduit |38, and, upon the opening of the valve |66 this yacuum enters the controlled ypressure chamber and passes therethrough to the conduit |44 to the forward end of the' brake power cylinder. The 4usual return springs thereupon act to move the piston 40 forwardly to release the brakes |2.

Also the air in the conduit- |48 enters the diaphragm power cylinder |25 causing it to shift 3 the accelerator stop mechanism out of vengagement with the accelerator and thereby permitting full power to be generated by the engine ||8 to move the bus.

Of course, upon the release of the brakes, the

pedal |'6 is drawn back to its normal position and if it is now desired to operate the brakes in the usual manner, thel pedal I6 is depressedl by the foot offthe operator drawing the brake rod 4maintained in the rod 20-22.

It will be noted that the air in the controlled pressure chamber |60 of the relay valve |42 merely adds additional force to hold the diaphragm |58. in its extreme left-hand position with the valve |66 open whereby an open passage is maintainedv through the -valve from the c on- Release of theA pedal closes the air valve 60 v and opens the vacuum valve 58 of the brake control valvereestablishing,l vacuum in the c onduit |38, the controlled pressure chamber |60 of the relayV valve |42, the conduit |44 and the forward end of the power cylinder 38 to 'release the brakes.

Referring now to Figure 5 there is shown a modified system having two ndoors. The -elements of this system which correspond to elements previously described have been designated by the samereference numerals increased by 200 and such elements will not be further described hereafter. l

In the gure the two doors are illustrated as a front door and a rear door of an automobile lbus 2|0 and the reference numerals on corre- `the conduit 350B. extending from the port 302R of the .rear door control- `valve 292B, instead of directly to the vacuum conduit 332. y

I'he accelerator stop diaphragm power cylinder 325 has been inverted so that it moves the bellcrank lever 322- to preventing position when air is admitted to it and moves it out of preventing'position when vacuum is admitted to it. The `cylinder 325 is conn'ected to a branch of the conduit 344 which has air admitted to it to apply the brakes and which consequently admits air to the said cylinder Whenever the brakes are applied to lock the accelerator pedal 320.

Figure 5 shows both doors open and in this condition the brakes 2| 2 are applied in the following inanner. Air in line A350F shifts the valve mechanism of the relay valve 342 to admit air from the air cleaner 394 to the conduit 344. Now if the front door 2|4F is closed by drawing out the handle 3|6F of the valve-282F, vacuum is transmitted by the conduit 350F-to shift the relay valve back'v to its normal position wherein a passage is open between the conduits 338 and 3M. However, the air in the conduit 350B resulting froml the fact that the rear' door is open now passes through the normally open passage in the brake control valve226 to the conduit $38 and' through the now open passagel in the relay valve 34! to the conduit 3 to hold the brake applied.

Now if the rear door should also-be closed, vacuum isl substituted for air in the conduit )EUR as a result of the operation of the control valve 292B. to door closed position, and this vacuum travels through the above enumerated passages and conduits to release the brakes.

With` both doors closed the operation of the brakes by. means of the pedal is exactly as described with reference' to the preceding embodiment.

While two embodiments of our invention have been illustrated and described, we do not intend to be limited by those embodiments or otherwise than by the terms of lthe appended claims.

What we claim is; 1For use with an automotive vehicle, a combined system including a source of vacuum, vacuum means for applying brakes including a cylinder normally connected at both ends tothe vacuum source and a brake-'operating member in said y cylinder, vacuum means for. opening a door, control means for each of said vacuum means, said brake control means'including a relay valve i'or connecting one end oi said cylinder to the atmosphere irrespective ofv the control for the brakes when said door opening control meansl .is opering formed with'a port which is connected to the door control means for conducting fluid pressure to said pressure responsive element, a port which is connected to the brake iluid lpressure means, a port'connected 'to the brake control means and a port connected to a source of i'iuid pressure, saidr valve element being constructed. and arranged to alternately open and close said lastnamed ports in response to the pressures applied to the fluid pressure responsive element, .3. For use with an automotive vehicle, a combined system including a source ofv diierential duid pressure,- -iuid pressure means for applying brakes, iluid pressure'means for opening a door,

.open position todisconnect said ports.

l and means operable when either or 'both doors control means 'for each of said duid pressure means, saidbrake control means including a control valve having a pair ,of normally interconnected ports,'one oi which is connected to the brake fluid :pressure means and the other of 6 which is connected to said source and having a chamber' connected to the door control means arranged to receive a change o f pressure therefrom when the door control means4 is. moved to l0 V1. For use with an automotive vehicle, a door,

brakes, a double acting vacuum cylinder for open'- ing and closing the door, a single acting vacuum cylinder, for applying the brakes, a` brake pedal, a brake control valveoperably connected to said pedal, connections from said valve to a source of vacuum and to said brake vacuum cylinder, a relay valve, the connections from said valves to said brake vacuum cylinder passing through a normally open passage in said relay 20 valve, .a door control valve, a connection between said door control valve andsaid source of vacuum, 4connections from said door control valve to ends of -said door vacuum cylinder for alternatelyadmitting vacuum and air to said 95 ends to open and close the door, one of said connectionsalso extending to said relay-valve to shift 4it and admit duid-pressure to' the brake cylinder to apply the brake when the door is open.

5. For use with an automotive vehicle, source l0 of vacuum. a door, brakes, a double acti g vacuum cylinder for opening and closing the door, a door control valve, a connection from said d oor control valve to said source of vacuum, connections irom said door control valve 'to opposite ends of thel door cylinder for' alternately admitting air-and vacuum to said ends to open and .close the door, a vacuum cylinder for applying the brakes, a brake control valve formed with three ports one of which 'is connected to said brake vacuum cylinder, and one of which is-connected to said source of vacuum, said brake con'- trol valve being constructed and arranged so that said two ports-'are-normally interconnected under the control of' one of said connections from the door control valve to said door4 cylinder.

6. In an automotive-vehicle, brakes, a pair of doors, power means for each' control means for the brakes,;separate control means'for each door are opened by their respective control means to apply Vthe brakes. and hold them applied 4until vthe said door is closed, said last named means includingA normally open passage through the brake control valve through which one of said door controll means acts to apply the brakes and a relay valve through which the other door: control meansacts toap'ply the-brakes. J i WILLARDB. PAINE.'

Amxrmnna A. AQUEEFF. ,g 

